Leon Lemmens

Leon Lemmens (March 16, 1954 – June 2, 2017) was a Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop in Belgium.

His Excellency

Leon Lemmens
Auxiliary Bishop of Flemish Brabant and Mechelen
ProvinceBelgium
DioceseArchdiocese of Mechelens-Brussels
Installed3 April 2011
PredecessorJozef De Kesel
Orders
Ordination10 July 1977
Consecration3 April 2011
Personal details
Born(1954-03-16)16 March 1954
Boorsem
Died2 June 2017(2017-06-02) (aged 63)
Leuven, Belgium
NationalityBelgian
DenominationRoman Catholic
ResidenceMechelen
Alma materKU Leuven, Pontifical Gregorian University
MottoPopulum humilem et pauperem (A humble and poor people)
Coat of arms

Lemmens, a native of Maasmechelen, was ordained a priest on July 10, 1977. He was named an auxiliary bishop to the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel by Pope Benedict XVI on February 22, 2011 and consecrated on April 3, 2011.[1]

Biography

Lemmens followed high school at the Klein Seminarie in Sint-Truiden. He entered seminary in Sint-Truiden (1971-1976) and was ordained to the priesthood to the Diocese of Hasselt on 10 July 1977. He obtained a bachelor in theology at the KU Leuven (1976) and studies moral theology in Rome. He obtained a licentiate in moral theology (1979) and became doctor in theology in 1989.[2]

He worked as a parish priest in Genk (1981-1984). In 1984 he became professor at the seminary in Hasselt. From 1986 to 1997 he was a member of the Interdiocesan Commission on Liturgy and from 1990 to 1995 he was responsible for vocations. In 1994-1995 he took charge of the organisation of the meeting of young people with the pope in Brussels.[3]

In 2004 he became rector of the Romanian College in Rome and in 2005 he was an official at the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches of the Roman Curia.[4]

Auxiliary bishop

On 22 February 2011, pope Benedict XVI appointed Lemmens as auxiliary bishop in the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, with the responsibility for the vicariate Vlaams-Brabant & Mechelen. He was a Municipa.[5][6]

He was consecrated on 3 April 2011 in the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg by archbishop André-Joseph Léonard.[7]

Death

Lemmens was a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio from 1977 until his death.[8] He died from leukemia June 2, 2017 in Leuven, Belgium.[9] His funeral service on June 10 was held in St. Rumbold's Cathedral, Mechelen, which was filled to capacity.[10]

References
  1. Catholic Hierarchy: Leon Lemmens retrieved October 2, 2011
  2. Kerknet retrieved September 1, 2014
  3. Kerknet retrieved September 1, 2014
  4. "Drie nieuwe hulpbisschoppen voor het aartsbisdom Mechelen-Brussel". Kerknet (in Dutch). 22 February 2011.
  5. Kerknet retrieved September 1, 2014
  6. Kerknet Archived 2014-09-27 at the Wayback Machine retrieved September 1, 2014
  7. Kerknet retrieved September 1, 2014
  8. Kerknet retrieved September 1, 2014
  9. "Hulpbisschop Leon Lemmens overleden" (in Dutch). Gazet van Antwerpen. 2017-06-02.
  10. "Bomvolle Sint-Romboutskathedraal voor uitvaart van hulpbisschop Leon Lemmens". De Morgen (in Dutch). 10 June 2017.
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